Man City target Mendy left out of Monaco squad for Sporting friendly

Negotiations are said to be ongoing between the two sides over the £50 million-rated left-back and they have left him out for another pre-season game

Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim has left Benjamin Mendy out of his squad for Saturday’s friendly against Sporting as links to Manchester City increase.

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Negotiations between City and the Ligue 1 champions are reported to be in progress and Monaco are claimed to be holding out for close to £50 million for the 22-year-old contracted to the club until 2021.

City recently secured the signing of right-back Kyle Walker for £50m, but are reportedly set to improve on that by making Mendy the most expensive defender in history.

The left-back, who joined from Marseille in June 2016, was left out of their recent tour of Switzerland due to an injury he picked up on international duty with France, and further misses out on their pre-season preparations.

The French side face Sporting in Portugal and travel without Mendy and Joao Moutinho, but Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain target Kylian Mbappe and Thomas Lemar, subject of a €35m (£30.7m) offer from Arsenal, make the 23-man squad.